Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter (98) reacts on the sideline during the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher
You may have been preoccupied watching another Philadelphia team lose in crushing fashion on Oct. 9, but if you missed the Eagles play the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium, it didn't go well.
In fact, it went shockingly bad, as Jaxson Dart and the Giants defeated the Eagles 34-17.
The Eagles rebounded 10 days later with a 28-22 victory over the Minnesota Vikings to improve to 5-2. Meanwhile, the Giants gave up 33 points to the Denver Broncos in the fourth quarter last Sunday, blowing a 19-0 lead to fall to 2-5.
Just 17 days after they last met, the Eagles and Giants will again square off, this time at Lincoln Financial Field. Can the Eagles — who will don their Kelly Green throwbacks — get revenge against the Giants? Here's what our staffers think.
Tim Kelly (4-3)
Score: Eagles 24, Giants 17
Game MVP: Jalen Carter
The Giants aren't yet a good team, but I get the sense that the tides could soon turn. Jaxson Dart already has 10 total touchdowns in parts of six games (four of which were starts). It can be debated if the Giants have ever had a quarterback that truly scared you — were you ever really afraid to face Eli Manning? — but they definitely haven't recently. Well, Dart looks like he could develop into that type of player.
At the same time, the Giants just gave up 33 points in the fourth quarter last week. This is still a team with quite a few holes, and while they did beat the Eagles a couple weeks ago, I struggle to see them doing it twice in three weeks.
Without A.J. Brown, I do anticipate this being a relatively close game. But I think a huge play by Jalen Carter late in the game will prevent Dart and the Giants from putting together a game-tying touchdown drive.
Anthony SanFilippo (2-5)
Score: Eagles 33, Giants 19
Game MVP: Recency and familiarity
It was bad enough losing to the Giants last meeting. It's not earthly possible to lose to them twice in three games, right? Right???
It's not. The Giants stink. The Eagles are a bit banged up, sure. The offensive line is taking some lumps on that front as Cam Jurgens is out. A.J. Brown is also out, taking away a weapon that Jalen Hurts finally found a few times in Minnesota last week.
Still, that win over the Vikings didn't wash away the bitter taste the Eagles still have in their mouths from losing to that sad sack squad on a Thursday night up the New Jersey Turnpike.
Saquon Barkley will have his breakout game this week — the one everyone has been expecting for the first seven weeks — and Vic Fangio will get another excellent performance out of his defense even though Brandon Graham won't play. The Giants will get a garbage-time touchdown to make it look more respectable than it was. The Eagles finally have a cake walk victory, and get to 6-2.
Grace Del Pizzo (2-5)
Score: Eagles 24, Giants 20
Game MVP: DeVonta Smith
The Giants are a much better team than their 2-5 record suggests. Two weeks ago, the Eagles went into MetLife Stadium and found that out the hard way. The Birds should be taking this game very seriously. The margin of error will be razor-thin.
It won’t be easy, and if the Eagles win, it likely won’t be pretty. There’s still a lot to figure out on offense, especially with A.J. Brown out. The defense will get a second crack at stopping Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo, who combined for 305 yards of offense and five total touchdowns against the Eagles on Oct. 9.
DeVonta Smith had the game of his life against the Vikings last week, pulling in nine of his 11 targets for a career-high 183 yards and a touchdown. Smith proved that he can be WR1 if necessary, and with Brown’s hamstring injury, it might very well be necessary. Skinny Batman will carry the team on his back, haul in at least one touchdown catch and be all over the field Sunday afternoon.
The Eagles also haven’t played a game at home since Oct. 5. They struggled on the road against the Giants, and although the Vikings weren’t as much of a struggle, the Birds definitely didn’t play a complete game. The Eagles will breathe a sigh of relief when Philadelphia (and its notorious home-field advantage) welcomes them home and intimidates their divisional foe. I think the Kelly Greens and the Linc’s substantial home advantage will lift the Eagles to a close win.
